Poultry decapitator



L. SUTHER.

POULTRY DECAPITATOR. APPLICATION mso JUNE 2. 1922.

Patentd Aug. 29, 1922.

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LOUIS SUTHEB, Oil? FrI'U'EBARLE) GQUNT'SF, fJfIItl'NEE'OTA;

POULTRY DECAPIJLATGR.

Application filed Jane 2,

To (ZZZ w from it may concern Be it known that 1, Louis SUTHER, acitizen of the United States, residing in the county of Hubbard, Estateof Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful improvements inPoultry Decapitators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to new and useful improvement in decapitatingdevices and particularly to devices for decapitating poultry.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich is simple in construction, formed from few parts, and which can bemanufactured at a comparatively low cost. 7

Another object is to provide a novel and improved construction whereinthe operator can set the knife ready for operation, and then have bothhands free to hold the foul, while releasing the knife with the foot.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved means for settihgthe knife and holding the same in position ready for operation, andnovel means for releasing the knife.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the decapitating device.

Figure 2 is an elevation view in a plane at right angles to that ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view on the line 3-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the same lines as that ofFigure 3, looking in the opposite direction.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the detent removed.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents a baseof suitable material, and of suitable size. Secured to the base, andextending vertically therefrom, are the two strips 11 and 12, formedpreferably of wood, and. secured together in any suitable manner. Formedthrough both boards 11 and 12, adjacent the upper ends thereof, andregistering with each other, are the circular openings 13, through whichthe Specification of Letter secured.

head of the fowl is placed. Secured in the inner face of the board 11,and partly surrounding the opening 13, is the stationary crescent--51ped knife blade 14. Formed in the inner faces of both of the boards 11and from a point slightly below the openings through. the lower ends ofthe boards, are semi-circular in cross section grooves 15, *hichrooperate'to form a cylindrical bore or the reception of the coil spring16. EX- ending a short distance upwardly within he lower end of thespring 16, is a guiding 9 st 17, and carried by the base at the lowerend of the bore. is an l.-shaped member 18, to which the lower end ofsaid spring is from a point adjacent the upperend thereof, downwardlyto, and across the opening 13, is a wider angular groove 19, in which isslidably disposed the triangular decapitating knife blade 20. One sidewall of the groove 19 forms continuation of the correspondinc: side ofthe bore, while an inclined wall 21connects the other side of the groovewith the other side of the bore, and it is against In the inner face ofthe board 11,

this inclined wall that the oblique cutting of the knife blade rests,when in lowcred position. Secured to the back of the knife blade is ametal. strip 22, which extends downwardly into the bore, and to asuitable distance within the coil spring 16, the upper end of the springbeing secured to this strip, as shown in the drawing. Carried by theupper end of the strip 22, and extending laterally through alongitudinal slot 23, formed in the board above the opening 13, is thehandle member 24:. which is adapted to be grasped to lift the knife intoset position. On one face of the strip 22 there is formed a notch towhich mention will be made more particularly later herein. In the wallof the angular groove 19, opposits the inclined wall 21, there is formeda laterally and downwardly extending recess 26, and disposed within thisrecess, and held in position therein, by means of the screw 27 is thespring detent 28. This detent is formed from a single piece of springwire with its shank in the recess, and its upper end formed with aprojection 29 normally urged into engagement with the before mentionednotch 25, in the strip 22. so that when the knife blade is lifted thedetent will spring into said notch and hold the knife in such elevatedposition.

The detentis also formed with a lateral projection 30, which extendsthrough a slot 31. formed transversely in the board 12, below, and atone side of the opening 13., Pivotally mounted on the outer face of theboard 12,. adjacent the projecting end of the projection 30, is an anglelever 32, the same being connected to the board by means of its arm 33,While its angle lies against the projection To the outer end of theother arm of the angle lever, there is connected the upper end of a wire35, the same extending down to a point adja cent the base 10. In thelower ends of: the boards 1] and 12 there are formed registeringvertical notches 36, tirough which is disposed the foot piece oi thepedal lever 8'7. The other end of this lever is pivotally supported in astandard 38, mount ed on the base, at the other side oi the boards. Tothis lever, at the other side of the boards, is connected the lower endof the before mentioned wire 35, whereby, upon depressing said lever,With the foot, the angle lever 32 Will be rocked to flex the detent 28out of engagement with the notch 25, to permit the spring 16 to suddenlydr \V the knife blade 20 downwardly, across the openings 13, and intocooperative cutting relation to the stationary blade 14, to sever thehead of the fowl, theneck of which is dis )osed throu h said oaenin s.

What is claimed is: 1. A decapitating device including a standard havinga head receiving opening, a stationary knife blade mounted at the sideof the opening, a guillotine knife mounted in the standard and springurged downwardly across the opening, a detent for engagement with theknife to hold the same elevated, and foot operated means for releasingthe detent.

2. A decapitating device including a base a standard on the base havinga head receiving opening, a vertically reciprocable knife movable acrossthe opening of the standard, a pedal mounted on the base, )ring detentmounted in the standard, the rite having a notch for receiving the deentto hold the knits in elevated position, angle lever on the standard, andconnece tions between the angle lever and the pedal for moving thedetent out of engagement with the knife.

8. A decapitating device including a base, a standard on the base havinga head receiving opening, a slidable knife spring pressed across thehead receiving opening, the standard having a recess, a spring detentarm formed with a projection for en gagement With the knife and mountedin the recess, said detent having a lateral projection, and means forengagement with the lateral projection for releasing the detent "fromthe knife.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses. j

- LOUIS SUTHER. Witnesses:

AL J. HALE, E. M. DUNPHY. I

